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Not ready for another baby just yet? Breastfeeding mothers everywhere struggle to find a method of birth control that is most likely to prevent pregnancy and least likely to affect their milk supply. Although hormonal methods such as combined oral contraceptive pills, patches, and rings (products containing both estrogen and progesterone) are commonly used in the U.S., their early use by breastfeeding mothers has been discouraged—until now. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) has released new recommendations on the use of methods of birth control.

The CDC report is based on a…

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Tricia has struggled with weight for as long as she can remember. Before she became pregnant with Lizzie, her first child, she was more than 50 pounds overweight, and during her pregnancy, she gained even more.

Since Lizzie was born six months ago, Tricia has been trying to shed the excess pounds. Even though Lizzie is just a baby, Tricia tries to eat healthy meals in front of her daughter, just in case Lizzie is taking note. Already, Lizzie’s weight is in the 90^th percentile. Tricia is worried about how her obesity might affect the weight of her child, and according to…

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Sunscreen is a must every day—365 days a year. But it’s especially important during the lazy, hazy days of spring and summer when you and your family spend more time outdoors. Everyone knows the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can cause skin cancer and burning; what you may not know is that just five sunburns at any age doubles one’s risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. And just one blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles the risk of melanoma. To stay safe in the sun, slather sunscreen on yourself and children over the age of…

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Most moms would agree that staying healthy and setting a good example for their kids is a top priority; however, keeping up with all those annual health screenings isn’t always at the top of every mom’s to-do list. Help is here—at least when it comes to the annual skin exam (yes, everyone should be getting one each year). The Skin Cancer Foundation just kicked off their Road to Healthy Skin Tour. From now until the end of September, dermatologists will drive around the country in the foundation’s customized RV to provide free, full-body screenings for skin cancer, the most…

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Company WEU has 20 employees. Ten or more are women. BWEU provides no maternity benefits, no flexible work schedules, no onsite childcare, and no lactation rooms. Despite women supplying more than 50% of the U.S. workforce, gaining accommodation in the workplace for those things uniquely woman such as pregnancy and breastfeeding is difficult at best, impossible at worst.

Many employers recognize that breast milk is the best source of infant nutrition. It promotes optimal growth and development, protects babies against diarrhea, respiratory infections, allergies and diabetes, and reduces mothers’ risk for ovarian cancer and premenopausal breast cancer, yet few employers  have a…

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The real life stories of the many women suffering with undiagnosed and/or untreated depression go unreported, until one day a desperate mother drowns her five young children in a bathtub. While this is a rare event, it underscores the seriousness of the disease known simply as postpartum depression.

It is estimated that one out of 10 women in the United States take antidepressants, many of them while pregnant or breastfeeding. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 1995 and 2002 the use of antidepressants rose 48%. Antidepressants are among the most prescribed drugs in the U.S. For…

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I cultivated my sweet tooth at a young age, born into a family where Hostess Sno Balls and Twinkies were the preferred after-school snack. I could have/should have washed down the crumbly treats with a glass of milk, but chose instead an ice cold Coke—21 teaspoons of sugar, the equivalent of 90 grams or 450 calories. Is it any wonder that my siblings and I struggle with weight gain?

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women consume no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar a day (100 calories or 25 grams). For men the recommendation is no more…

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The day will come when U.S. mothers can truly feel safe breastfeeding their babies and young children anywhere, anytime, anyplace. I likely won’t live long enough to see the culmination of the cultural transformation that is currently underway in America, but I am confident that my children will one day view breastfeeding not as best, optimal, perfect, or ideal, but simply as normal. And I know that ultimately their children, my grandchildren, will reap the benefits.

While many find the slow pace of change frustrating, age confers a level of patience and confidence in knowing that measured, thoughtful change is more often…

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Employed by the Red Cross after the devastating earthquake in Haiti, text messaging contributed to record donations. In less dire circumstances but indicative of the popularity of text messaging, millions text their vote for their favorite American Idol. But what can text messaging do for you?

With text4baby, the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) is flipping the text message and using it to help expectant and new moms.

The familiar ping, ding, or ringtone sounds out from your handset:

“Give your baby a good start by not drinking alcohol, smoking or using drugs. For help call 800-784-8669 (smoking); 800-662-4357 (drugs & alcohol).”

“Feeling…

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Both you and your baby are going to sleep terribly, possibly for months, so you might as well get used to the idea.

But don’t freak out—this is totally normal. All you have to do is make sure everyone lives through this tumultuous time. Pretend there’s a zombie war going on outside and your priority is basic survival. Do whatever it takes to stay alive. Believe that this too shall pass.

For those of you in the midst of intense sleep deprivation, you would probably like to take your computer and throw it at my head right now. No one wants to…

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Although the incidence of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) decreased significantly after the launch of the Back to Sleep campaign in 1994, SIDS is still the leading cause of death in children 1 month to 1 year of age. While the cause of SIDS remains a mystery, researchers recently identified a defect in the brain of infants who died of SIDS that may eventually lead to early detection of babies at risk for SIDS.

Published in the February 3, 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers compared the brainstems of 41 infants who died of SIDS with 7 infants who died…

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Perhaps Andrew Wakefield, MD didn’t realize that his 1998 study erroneously linking vaccinations to autism would ignite a decade long controversy. But he should have. If not for the media frenzy fomented by high profile celebrities, the scientific method might have triumphed long ago. Journalists should know better. Yet given the scope of the damage, any claim of vindication would ring hollow. In the end, science prevailed, but at what cost?

After the United Kingdom General Medical Council (GMC) described the actions of Andrew Wakefield, MD, and two of his colleagues as dishonest and irresponsible, The Lancet, a respected medical journal,…

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